Need a constant WiFi connection? Now you can on the HTC 8S Windows Phone.

The HTC 8S finally allows Wi-Fi to stay on with the display off, making it the first Windows Phone device to offer this much vaunted feature.

We've noticed something pretty awesome on our HTC 8S (review coming shortly, folks), something that many have been calling out for from Microsoft since Windows Phone launched back in 2010. In the Windows Phone 8 build that's loaded on the HTC 8S, we can enable the setting to allow the WiFi connection to remain active when the screen times out. Huzzah!

The rumor that the HTC 8S would bring this functionality was first reported back on November 22nd and it is now 100% confirmed.

On the HTC we have an OS version of 8.0.10211.204, while the Lumia 920 is only on 8.0.9903.10, which makes us believe this could well be an interim build to keep us occupied for the upcoming Windows Phone Portico update (aka Apollo+). Joe Belfiore, Windows Phone Program Manager, has stated the WiFi setting will be making an appearance in the next major update, but it's interesting to see it on hardware that have just gone to market.

Our version numbers aren't hitting 8.1 just yet so it could simply be HTC pushing for more functionality to be included in its own product line. With the company refreshing its partnership with Microsoft, this isn't a farfetched possibility.

It's not weird at all to anyone who thinks it through... a series of brief data packets through a fast Wi-Fi connection (an antenna for which is right in your own home/office) is better than a weak, slow signal through a cell radio that has to hit a tower a few miles away. The radios are more efficient with a good, close signal.

It's one of those things that's a big deal to some people and of little to no consequence to others. It depends on your situation. If you have crap or no cellular signal but have good wi-fi available, it sucks to have your phone not use it when the screen is off. It can also take a long time or be flaky trying to reconnect to wi-fi every time you wake up the phone. Some people even have to re-enter login credentials through the browser every single time they reconnect to wi-fi. Imagine how annoying that would be.